Saturday, August 18, 2012

ANNETTE'S TRAVELS: SOUTH INDIA, 2012 - ERNAKULAM AND KOZIKODE

We were disappointed in our day in Fort Kochin because our expectations
were excessive and also perhaps because our rickshaw driver was more
interested in taking us to shops - where he would get a cut from our
purchases - than in showing us the sights. We therefore decided on the
17th of January to go to Ernakulam. We thought it would be an adventure to go to a large city without having
preconceived notions of what we would be likely to encounter. As it happened, we were to have a fascinating day. To begin our day we took the hotel boat to the
main jetty.

View of the Harbour from the Hotel Boat

Main Jetty, Ernakulam

When we arrived, we asked a rickshaw driver to take us to the durbar
hall art gallery, somewhere to begin rather than something expected to
be special. The gallery was closed for renovation, but when we began to
explore the area we discovered that the famous annual week-long Shiva
temple festival was ending this very day and that by chance the temple
we happened upon was in fact the Shiva temple where in a few hours the elephant
procession would begin. We wandered about for a while and looked into some shops.

Ernakulam Food Vendor

As we passed what looked to be the open entrance to a small
hotel, I asked two children if they would allow me to
take their photo. They agreed, and one of the adults
standing beside us told me that a Brahmin wedding was being celebrated
there. Just then, people began to descend a staircase a few metres to
our left. As I watched them coming down, I saw that among them were a
man and a woman wearing garlands of flowers around their necks. These
were obviously the bride and groom. When I raised my camera, they
paused, smiling, to allow me to take my photograph. I felt greatly
privileged. They were gracious and welcoming as are so many in India.

Brahmin Wedding, Ernakulam

We
inquired at the police assistance booth and discovered
that the procession of elephants would begin at the temple and travel for its conclusion to a large field nearby. Though it would be a while before the procession began, we decided to go to the field to see what was happening. People were already gathering, and we were lucky to find
two of the last available seats. Next to us was an interesting man with whom we
spent the next two hours or so. He spoke, for example, about his job as
an able seaman on cargo ships, including his last post on an oil tanker
out of Panama. He described the big storms that had frightened him. He
lived in Alleppey, spending ten months of the year away and the
remainder at home with his wife and two children.

He was
in Ernakulam to attend the annual seven-day Makaravilakku
festival in the Periyar tiger preserve. He explained that pilgrims went
there because every year on the same day a bright light was seen
ascending three times up into the sky. He believed this was the work of
the god Ayappa who resided in the temple there. Paul later read in the
newspaper, however, that this was a hoax. Because the 200,000 devotees
bring in a lot of revenue for the temple every year, the state of Kerala
has allowed the festival to be held in the tiger preserve. To protect
the tigers, however, no lighting ha been provided. This year, after a
jeep overturned in the dark and rolled down a hill, the resulting
stampede caused 102 deaths. Without any lighting, the police were unable
to locate and assist the injured. Although a similar though less
serious accident had occurred some years previously, the state
government had refused to deal with the conflict between the temple and
the tiger reserve.

Our friend told us about pilgrimages
and festivals. Most pilgrims are men because women between the ages of
ten and 50 women are not allowed in the temple. They will light a flame at
home, but are considered unclean during their monthly period. Some will
not even cook at this time. Pilgrims fast for 41 days during the
pilgrimage he attended. They pray at 6:30 p.m., because this is when the
god is believed to be most potent and capable of answering supplicants'
prayers.

More and more people were coming into the large
field where we were sitting. Finally, we heard what sounded like drums
and bugles. I moved closer to the road where I could see ten or fifteen
men begin to dance to the music dressed in elaborately decorated red and
white outfits, each holding a cymbal. They were accompanied by drummers.

It sounded like martial music, with dancing that was stylized
to resemble fighting. The hypnotic performance went on and on, the
repetitions of the dance keeping time with the loud rhythms of the
music.

Soon, six beautifully decorated elephants arrived, one behind the
other.

The atmosphere was incredibly intense: obviously this was an
event of high significance.The elephants moved slowly down the field
and lined up horizontally, each standing with his mahout beside him.

Increasing
numbers of people were arriving.

With so many people in an enclosed space with only one visible exit, we became uncomfortable and decided to leave.

Musicians We Passed on Our Way Out of the Field

When we reached the road, we found it had been closed. Army
and police were in evidence, but there was no sign of aggressive
behaviour.

Musicians on the Road

We walked a few blocks to where the road was open and got a
rickshaw. The driver had to use many detours before he finally found a
way to get out of the area. Every street was crowded with people walking
to join the elephants. Not being accustomed to large crowds, we were
relieved to have made an exit; but what an experience!

Next
day, January 18th, we took the train to Calicut (Kozhikode), arriving
in the evening about nine o'clock, then going by rickshaw to our hotel,
the Taj Gateway. This was a luxury hotel with a beautiful swimming
pool. We decided to have a lazy day on the 19th, reading and drinking
diet Coke at the pool.

On January 20th we went to Coimbatore by train and then by taxi to Mettupalayan, arriving late afternoon. After a night in a hotel there, we would take the old steam train to Ooty.

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